Global coworking powerhouse WeWork announced last week that it would no longer let its 6,000 employees expense meals containing meat, or serve meat at its events. WeWork stated in aninternal memo: ‘New research indicates that avoiding meat is one of the biggest things an individual can do to reduce their personal environmental impact — even more than switching to a hybrid car.’

Sure, this new policy is likely to save WeWork money. And some feel the move has a paternalistic edge to it. At the same time, it keeps WeWork on-trend as other behemoth brands such as Starbucks make similarly bold commitments to sustainability.

But there’s more. WeWork’s new policy is another example of our recent CULTURE CLUBS trend, all about how smart businesses will build ethical internal cultures that promote the flourishing of their own staff. In an increasingly transparent world, the internal culture of a business is ever more a part of its public-facing brand. That means building a CULTURE CLUB can become the most powerful way a brand has to send a signal to consumers about who it is and what it believes. For consumers, the right internal culture can turn a brand into a powerful status play: ‘I only engage with brands who care about people and the planet’.

Want to build a CULTURE CLUB of your own? Ask yourself:

What bold move can we make to build a more ethical internal culture?

How can we tell that story to the world in a compelling way?

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